Baseboard diffuser



Nani .4

Sept. 8, 1959 w KEs ETAL 2,902,919

BASEBOARD DIFFUSER Filed Feb. 16, 1956 INVENTORS: ROB RT J. WAALKES ALF ED EKIETZMANN BYI 000% '9 Fax ATT'YS United States Patent T BASEBOARD DIFFUSER Robert J. Waalkes and Alfred E. Kietzmaun, Holland, Mich., assignors to Hart & Cooley Manufacturing Co., Holland, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application February 16, 1956, Serial No. 565,830

2 Claims. ((31. 98 -40) This invention relates in general to baseboard diffusers which are ordinarily positioned at the juncture of the floor and wall of a room for the purpose of diffusing and distributing air into the room for heating or cooling purposes. More particularly, the invention has to do with a novel arrangement of valve means within the chamber of the diffuserdesigned for improving the air flow pattern and the distribution of air therethrough.

Baseboard diffusers of present design customarily have the valve mounted on the bottom of the diffuser chamber and operable to close or open the inlet opening into the chamber. This type of construction has certain disadvantages and objections which the present invention is designed to overcome. For example, when the valve is partially closed in presently known constructions, the amount of air entering the diffuser chamber is reduced even though the free outlet area remains the same. The result is a reduction of the air entering the chamber and a corresponding reduction in the velocity'of air being discharged therefrom. In those constructions where the valve is mounted near the discharge opening and hinged at its top edge, there is no effective reduction of the free area when moved toward closed position, and the sharp edge projecting into the air stream tends to increase resistance to air flow.

Furthermore, with the valve at the bottom of the diffnser chamber the distribution of air throughout the length thereof as the valve is moved from the open to the closed position is rather uneven since more air tends to be discharged in the immediate vicinity of the inlet opening than at any distance on either side thereof.

, It is, therefore, one of the principal objects of the present invention to provide a valve arrangement in a baseboard ditfuser which is designed to overcome the aforementioned objections and disadvantages inherent in baseboard diffusers of present known construction.

Another object of the invention is to provide a baseboard difiuser having a valve therein of such configuration as to cooperate with a part of the diffuser chamber to effect the least resistance to the outward flow of air therethrough.

A, further object of the invention is to provide a baseboard diffuser having a valve therein which is pivotally mounted on the rear panel of the diffuser chamber between the upper and lower edges thereof.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a baseboard diffuser wherein the valve thereof is elongated and is arcuate in a transverse direction and downwardly convex and pivotally mounted on the rear panel of the diffuser chamber, whereby resistance to the outwardflow of air is minimized and the nozzle shape of the resulting structure produces an air flow in the nature of an elongated jet.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a baseboard diffuser including a chamber having front and rear panels or sections which, in their assembled relation,

form a top portion through which outlet openings are provided and wherein an elongated transversely arcuate and downwardly convex valve member is hingedly mounted on the rear panel thereof with its forward edge adjacent the outlet openings, whereby the discharged air will be directed upwardly in relatively close association with the adjacent wall in substantially an elongated jet air stream.

Another object of the invention is to provide a baseboard dilfuser wherein an elonagted valve member having a transversely arcuate and downwardly convex configuration is hingedly mounted on the rear panel of the diffuser chamber relatively close to the air outlet openings so that when the valve is moved from fully open toward closed position, the free outlet area is effectively reduced.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a baseboard diffuser embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the diffuser shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view through i the center of the diffuser shown in Fig. 1 and illustrating relatively close to the air discharge outlets so that the forward edge of the valve terminates adjacent the discharge openings, resulting in an improved air distribution,

increased discharge velocity, and a better air pattern.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the

invention is shown for purposes of illustration as being applied to a baseboard diffuser generally indicated by the numeral 1 and which consists of a front panel or section 2 and a rear panel or section 3. As illustrated, the rear panel or section comprises a vertical rear wall 4, a bottom 5 having an upturned flange 6 along its forward edge, a top flange 7 extending forwardly from the upper edge of the rear wall 4 and which terminates in a downwardly extending flange 8.

. The front panel or section 2 consists of a face plate 9 which at its lower edge is return-bent for a short distance, as at it), and then terminates in an angularly disposed flange 11, which extends downwardly and rearwardly. The upper part of the face plate 9 is bent rearwardly toward the rear panel or section, as shown at 12, and is pro vided with an arcuate portion 13 between the rearwardly extending part 12 and the remainder of the face plate 9.

It will be understood that the configuration of the face plate ,9 may assume other forms Without departing from the spirit of the invention as long as it is capable of cooperating with the valve member to achieve the desired results in the manner set forth hereinafter.

The front and rear panels or sections are removably held together by first placing the upturned flange 6 at the forward edge of the base 5 within the acute angle formed by the return-bent portion 1% and the angular flange 11.. The rear edge of the rearwardly extending part 12 is bent downwardly, as at 14, and then upwardly for a short distance as at 15, and then terminates in the angularly disposed flange 16. This portion 15 and 16 may be flexed downwardly so that the bottom edge of the flange 8 may be received in the recess formed between the flange 14 and the upturned portion 15, thereby to retain the front and rear panels or sections in assembled relation.

The bottom 5 of the diffuser chamber has a cut-out portion intermediate the endsthereof providing an air inlet opening 17. At a suitable location in the upper part of the chamber there are provided air outlet openrugs. outlet openings may be varied as desired but for purposes of illustration in the present instance the air outlet openings are identified by the numeral 18 and consist pri marily in a plurality of substantially rectangularly shaped openings extending through the arcuate portion 13 and the rearwardly extending portion 12 of the front face plate 9. These openings extend in a direction transversely of the chamber and are spaced relatively close together throughout the length thereof asshown'. One of the outlet openings is extended downwardly a greater dis-' tance than the others at substantially the center of the chamber, as indicated at 19, for a purpose which will appear hereinafter.

The ends of the diffuser chamber are closed by suitable closure members 20, the shape of which conforms to the cross sectional configuration of the assembled parts which form the chamber. Each closure member 20 has formed as an integral part thereof an inwardly extending front flange 21, an inwardly extending top flange 22, inwardly extending rear flanges 23 and 24, and inwardly extending bottom flange 25. The two rear flanges 2.3 and 24 have a space 26 therebetween, as clearly shown in Fig. l, to accommodate the valve as will presently be seen.

Each end closure is applied to an end of the diffuser chamber with the flanges thereon in abutting relation with the inner surface of the chamber sections. They are then secured in place by suitable screws 27, 28. and 29, which pass through the chamber body and into the respective flanges.

Thus far it will be apparent that air will enter the chamber through the inlet opening 17 from a suitable air duct, or the like, not shown, and will be diffused and discharged therefrom through the outlet openings 18. The novel valve forming a part of the present invention is indicated by the numeral 30. This valve will extend throughout substantially the length of the diffuser chamher or throughout the extent of the outlet openings therein.

The rear edge of the Valve 30 is formed in an arcuate manner to receive a hinge or pivot rod 32. This rod 32 is secured to the rear curved portion of the valve 36*, such as by welding or in any other suitable manner.

The valve is then held in place by a plurality of resilient retaining members 33. Each of these retaining members has a downwardly and rearwardly extending flange 34 at the lower end thereof for the purpose of spacing the main body thereof in spaced relation to the rear wall 4. The upper end of each retaining member 33 is then formed varcuately, as at 35, into a substantial semi-circle so that it may receive a part of the, rod 32.. It will be understood that there may be as many or as few of these retaining members as may be necessary to securely hold the valve in place and permit it to rotate about the resulting hinge mounting. Each retaining member is held in place by means of a screw 36 and nut 37, whereby the tension of each retaining member against the rod 32 may be regulated.

It is important to note that the valve 3% has an arcuate configuration in a direction transversely thereof with the convex side facing downwardly. At a suitable point along the length thereof a handle member 38 is securedv which extends upwardly through the outlet opening 19 so that it may be grasped to move the valve 30 between its upper open position and its lower closed position. When the valve 30 is moved upwardly to its fullest extent, it will come against the downwardly extending flange 14 of the front panel or section. When the valve is moved downwardly to closed position, its movement is limited by the forward lower edge of the opening 19 against which the handle 38 will engage. It will be evi- The particular size, number and shape of these dent that when the valve is moved to its closed position,

as shown in Fig. 4, the inlet opening 17 will still permit' air to enter the chamber, but such air will not be discharged therefrom because there will then be no communication between the outlet openings 18 and the re mainder of the chamber.

Forming the elongated valve 30 in a transversely arcuate configuration with, the convex side thereof facing downwardly performs a. dual function. In the first place, the curved lower face of the valve gives a nozzle shape which has the result of giving the least resistance to fluid flow. This nozzle shaped outlet will provide an air flow in the nature of an elongated jet, regardless of the position that the valve assumes between fully open and fully closed. Furthermore, the combination of the arcuate valve and its mounting on the rear wall so that the convex surface thereof faces downwardly, obtains somewhat of an airfoil effect, since air tends to follow the curved surface and after leaving the surface of the valve will tend to continue in the same curvature or are so that it will flow upwardly along the wall more closely than would be the case with a flat valve, which would tend to throw the air outwardly into the room away from the wall.

The mounting of the curved valve sufficiently high on the rear wall so that its forward, edge terminates adjacent the outlet openings also has several advantages and achieves certain results not possible heretofore with commonly used valves which open and close the inlet opening into the chamber, or which are mounted on the rear wall to pivot about their upper edges. In the first place, utilizing the mounting of the valve as disclosed herein, considerably less movement of the valve is necessary to move it from the fully open to fully closed position thereof than if the valve were to be mounted near the bottom of the diffuser chamber. Secondly, the mounting of the valve in this manner, relatively close to the dischrage point, causes the relatively wide base of the diffuser below the valve to act more nearly like a plenum chamber, thereby giving a more even distribution of air throughout the length of the diffuser as the valve is moved from the open to the closed position. This, of course, results in a more uniform delivery of air along the length of the diffuser.

Another advantage in mounting the valve in this manner is that the free discharge area of the diffuser is etfectively reduced as the valve moves from the open to the closed position. The closing of the valve tends to reduce the quantity of air flowing through the diffuser but the corresponding reduction in the free discharge area which takes place at the same time will cause the velocity pattern of flow from the diffuser to remain more nearly constant with various adjustments of the valve. This latter result overcomes one of the principal objections to presently known baseboard diffusers, which objection is that with reduced quantity of air through the d-ifluser the discharge velocity becomes very low and the distribution of air within the room becomes poor. With the present arrangemnet as described herein, the valve may be closed as far as necessary to maintain adequate velocity even at relatively low air flow quantities.

Changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of parts from those disclosed herein without in any way departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of the attendant advantages thereof, pro vided, however, that such changes fall within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. A baseboard diffuser adapted to be generally positioned in operative position at the juncture of the floor and wall of a room, said diffuser comprising a rear wall generally adapted to engage the wall of the room, a bottom wall generally adapted to engage the floor of the room, a front wall, a pair of end walls, 'said walls of said diffuser coacting to define an elongated chamber, an air inlet in said bottom wall for. admitting into said chamber, air outlet openings in said front wall adjacent the upper end thereof for discharging air from said chamber, and means for opening and closing said outlet openings, said means comprising a generally upright elongated convexo-concave valve member, the concave side of said member facing the rear wall of the diffuser, means for pivotally connecting the lower end of said member to said rear wall, the upper end of the front face of said member, when in fully open position, being disposed closer to said rear wall than is said front wall, and the plane tangent to said upper end being so disposed relative to said wall of said room so as .to project upwardly substantially between parallel and convergent positions relative to said wall of said room when the diffuser is disposed in said operative position and said member is disposed in fully open position, and means connected to said member and extending exteriorly of said difiuser for controlling the position thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,704,661 Feiber Mar. 5, 1929 2,281,615 Peple May 5, 1942 2,516,871 Haugen Aug. 1, 1950 2,656,781 Spieth Oct. 27, 1953 2,660,946 Peple Dec. 1, 1953 2,766,676 Babcock Oct. 16, 1956 

